


“Stop freaking out, you’re making me freak out! And I’m the level headed one!”

by WhumpTown



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Cussing, Malcolm getting haunted by the girl in the box, Tired Dani, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:55:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21642541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhumpTown/pseuds/WhumpTown
Summary: A prompt filler for an ask on my Tumblr (MalcolmBright-Whitley)Dani and Malcolm car breaks down
Relationships: Malcolm Bright & Dani Powell, Malcolm Bright/Dani Powell
Comments: 2
Kudos: 82





	“Stop freaking out, you’re making me freak out! And I’m the level headed one!”

“Oh fuck.”

Malcolm sits up in the car, suddenly a little more interested in the overheated engine. He opens the door, sticking his head out and frowning when he sees Dani cussing and kicking at the tire. “Dani?” He ducks back into the car when a snowball goes flying by his head. He pops back up,” hey! What-”

He stops himself, biting his lip as Dani continues kicking and cussing at the snow. Deciding that he really can figure out what she’s so angry, there’s no need taking the beast on by himself. 

He is really regretting offering himself up to be Dani’s tag along to follow up a stray lead. Mostly because now he’s stuck on a road he’s never heard of with a pissed off Dani, snow everywhere, and a broken car. 

“Dani?” He steps out of the car, regretting not having walked out of the apartment this morning with a better coat. The wind is brisk, ripping right through his thin shirt and suit jacket. Which reminds him, he didn’t step out of the apartment this morning. He stayed the night at the station with Dani and JT, much to Gil’s annoyance. “Maybe you should come back in the car? We can call JT and he can be out here in no time.”

“I can’t,” Dani says. Her arms are on her hips, her breath condensating in the chilly air. “My phones dead.”

“Oh,” Malcolm says. Trying not to grimace,” so is mine.”

“Yeah, I know.” Her deadpanned remark comes with a kick at the snow, a hand going to rest against her forehead. Frustration just seeping out of her every movement. It’s putting him on edge, watching her pace and kick. 

“Oh, well…” he glances at the car and then back at her. “Can you get back in the car? You’re kind of scary standing out there kicking and yelling.” Which is true. Decked out in her leather and boots, no need to add how intimidating he knows she is… It’s a power move he’s a bit too under built for. Not to mention he’s a little light-headed from the cold and empty stomach combo.

“Fuck off, Malcolm.” She spits out, kicking the snow one last time and starts walking back to the car. He can see, as she approaches the light of the car, that her cheeks and nose are rosy red. He gets back into the car first, afraid to look at her for too long and really have her wrath turned on him and his lingering eyes.

“Thank you.” He says it softly, as to not rub in how thankful he is that she’s not standing in the snow. He feels unwelcomed in the space that before felt shared. Her anger is taking up so much space that his insecurities are shouting, insisting that he needs to get out. To leave.

“Whatever.”

So he crosses his ankles, like the mere space his legs take up bothers her. Fiddling with his thumbs, scratching at his sleeves, and picking apart his nails. Anything he can think of that’s not talking to her, aggravating her. It’s still boring, so he throws his head back. Looking out through the window, he watches the snow hit the leaves. The bows of the tree looking like they’ll snap. 

“G-Ah!” Malcolm flinches, his hand coming to his chest. The girl from the box, hair wet from snow, and skin a deathly grey stares back at him. He throws the door open, his throat soar as he screams. He’s got to getaway. Can’t let him get her. 

Dani watches in horror. Unsure of what she should do as Malcolm falls into the snow. Battling some demon she can’t see. “Malcolm!” She jumps out too, trying to stop him before he runs into the woods. His eyes are wide and she’s afraid if he gets any farther he’ll runoff. Then she can’t help him. 

“Malcolm please,” she yells, growing more desperate. His body jerking again, his legs fumbling to get underneath him as he fights in the snow. He screams out, falling on his back, smacking his head. He pops right back up but this time he doesn’t recoil doesn’t fight. He shakes his head, snow falling out of his hair. He presses his hand to it, noticeably calmer. 

“Please, come back in the car.” Her chest is heaving, she’s shivering. She pulls her arms tighter around her chest, rubbing her hands over her arms. “Malcolm?”

“Dani?” He stands up, stumbling and nearly falling back into the snow. She takes a hesitant step towards him, afraid of what might happen if he’s not out of his hallucination or nightmare or whatever set him off. He stumbles into her, mumbling something she can’t make-out. He shivers, his bare skin is freezing against hers.

She pushes him into the car, fumbling but stern even as she gently helps him pull his right leg into the car. She shuts the slams the door. Stomping around to her side. When she gets in, her own door is treated with the same familiarity. She sighs, choppy and nerve-wracked. “Can you just… stop freaking out, you’re making me freak out! And I’m the level headed one!”

Malcolm looks down at his hands, trembling from the cold. It’s seeping into the car. Under his suit jacket. “I’m sorry.”

She puts her hands over her face. “No, don’t be sorry. Fuck, I’m sorry Malcolm. You freaked me out.” She runs her hands down her face, “I just… JT would know how to fix the car or probably Gil-” She chokes back a sob. “And I don’t. So, they’re gonna poke fun of me for a week or a month.” She wipes her eyes angrily,” now I’m acting stupid with you. All because I started my period and I hope you don’t think-”

“Hey,” Malcolm reaches out, putting his hand over hers where she’s now dropped them in her lap. “Dani, you’re the strongest person I know… I don’t think I could ever spend as much time with JT as you do. That shows the kind of strength you have.”

He gets a brief grin, “shut up.”

He squeezes her hand. Letting go to bump her shoulder with his fist,“ no, I mean it.”

Dani smiles now, fulling wiping her eyes away. She sniffles, “you’re… You’re pretty cool, Bright.”

Malcolm smiles, oddly warm. He glances at her, hands going back to their usual, nervous tremor. “Cool enough to be friends with?”

“Yeah.”

Malcolm yawns into his hand. Startling himself with his body openly admitting to being tired. He, honestly, hadn’t felt tired until that exact moment. Between the warmth of the car compared to outside and Dani’s second admission of their friendship. He’s rather drowsy.

Dani notices that he’s blinking a little slower, breathing a little slower. “If I climb out of the car and put the seats down…” it suddenly feels like she’s some seductress. “It’s not an invitation to make-out with me but I would share my coat as a blanket and we can get some sleep? Just hope that Gil or JT come to our rescue?”

“I don’t know…”

She sighs, quickly moving from upset and put out to willing to crawl across the armrest between her and Bright and wring his neck. “Listen, I know about you and Eve. So, if you’re worried about that-” motioning to the back seat, “-there are no knives in here so at least you can’t stab me.”

There’s a moment's hesitation. He just looks at her like he’s trying to figure out if she means or if she’s making fun of him. The moment passes and he nods stiffly. “Ok.”

She smiles,” Good. If you get handsy, Bright, I’ll drop you.” 

She says it with a smile on her face and Malcolm can’t help but smile back. Now grinning rather stupidly he follows her,” yes, ma’am.”


End file.
